NEW ORLEANS – The Downtown Development District (DDD) is now accepting nominations for their 2015 Downtown NOLA Awards.
The 4th Annual Downtown NOLA Awards luncheon will celebrate 5 honorees who have made a positive impact on Downtown New Orleans. The deadline to submit nominations is Sunday, May 31, 2015. Winners will be announced this summer and celebrated at the awards ceremony to be held Friday, September 18.
The DDD created the Downtown NOLA Awards as an annual program to recognize exceptional accomplishments of Downtown property owners, businesses, residents, workers and organizations. They honor people and places that inspire, innovate and integrate the Downtown NOLA brand into their Downtown neighborhoods.
Nominees must meet at least one of the following criteria to be considered:
• Downtown Inspiration – Downtown property owner, business, resident or worker who is a leader, collaborator and advocate for Downtown development.
• iMinder – an individual with proven success in one of DDD's core industries: arts-based businesses, digital media or biosciences.
• 3rd Space – "third space", i.e. restaurant, bar, coffee shop, green space, etc., that provides a creative environment for people to collaborate, work and network.
• Development Project – an individual or organization that has completed a project that improves the quality of life Downtown.
• Adaptive Reuse – preservationists and owners of homes and businesses who keep the integrity of Downtown's historic buildings while modernizing them for reuse.
• Façade Improvement Project – building owner or lessee that has invested in improving the appearance of their building's façade. The façade improvement must be a quality renovation that will enhance and be consistent with the historical design, materials and architectural character reflected in the original design of the building.
• Public Improvement Project – local public works project that improved the environment of Downtown NOLA.
• Green Project – a resident, business or property owner that helps keep Downtown green.
• Best Kept Secret – Presented to one of Downtown's gems that is low profile, but deserves recognition for its programs, services or amenities it provides to Downtown.
The DDD was created by the Louisiana Legislature in 1974 as the nation's first assessment-based business improvement district (BID) to provide enhanced services in economic development, cleaning and safety.
